Highways Agency

Chapter 5 Safety

Saving lives on the network

Introduction

Our road network is already one of the safest in Europe, but we are continually looking at ways to improve this record. During 2001-02, some £47m was invested in this area under the Local Network Management Schemes (LNMS) programme. This included schemes to improve lighting, install anti-skid road surfaces, add cycle routes, improve road layouts and deliver speed reduction measures such as rumble strips and speed cameras where appropriate.

Enforcement cameras help reduce speeding.

The 10-Year Plan for Transport sets us a target of delivering a 33% reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured, based on the 1994-98 average, by 2010. Although this is a challenging target, we are on track to achieve it.

Cycle route on the A45 near Coventry.

2001-02 performance

• In 2001-02 we met all of our safety targets, including a significant reduction in casualties on the network (a 496 reduction against the 1994-98 average figure of 4,991) and delivery of 13 safety Early Action Schemes against a target of at least 10. Examples of Early Action Schemes designed to reduce accidents include the grade separated junction on the A1 at Langford and new signs and layout at a junction on the A66 at Long Newton.
• To help people to cross our network safely, crossing surveys have been carried out on 99% of our network. A programme for improving crossing points is being developed.
• After the tragic incident at Selby, we were involved in two working groups looking at the provision of nearside safety fencing. The two groups produced reports containing 19 recommendations, all of which are being taken forward as part of a post Selby Action Plan agreed by Ministers.
• We introduced a management and monitoring regime in 2001-02, which will enable us to improve the way we report on casualty reduction. This will take into account the safety of the contractors who work on our roads.
• We supported the initiative to develop a national database on safety schemes by passing information on these schemes to the Transport Research Laboratory. Analysis of this information will enable us to report on the value for money of our safety activities.
• We have regular contact with schools across the country and give road safety talks to pupils. An example of this is the road safety talk one of our project managers gave local children in West Winch, Norfolk following the installation of a new puffin crossing near their school in April 2001.

We are developing a programme to improve crossing facilities on our network.

Case study : Emergency procedures ­ scenario planning

To prepare for incidents on our roads, we carry out scenario planning in partnership with the emergency services. An example of this is the exercise carried out in the Hatfield Tunnel on the A1(M) in consultation with HESMIC (Hertfordshire Emergency Services Major Incident Committee). This involved a simulated incident involving a school minibus that had crashed into a milk tanker. Several other vehicles were involved in the incident including a police prison vehicle. A small media team were able to observe the clearing of the incident, including Linda O'Brien of Anglia Television. She said: "In these situations the media are usually kept clear of such incidents for safety reasons. We were able to see the care taken in dealing with an accident and how the emergency services work together. It was so amazingly calm and well organised."

We carry out a live exercise of this type every six years and a tabletop exercise every three years to test tunnel emergency procedures for dealing with incidents on the network.